2007 Saturn Sky Redline

General Motors will unveil a dramatically revitalized Saturn lineup with production versions of the all-new 2007 Saturn Aura midsize sedan, Saturn Sky Red Line performance roadster and Saturn Outlook crossover vehicle at the 2006 New York International Auto Show.

'Saturn's new products demonstrate GM's commitment to raising the bar on product execution as part of our North American turnaround plan,' said Mark LaNeve, GM North America vice president, Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. 'Saturn's dramatic new cars and crossovers, combined with an industry-leading positive retail experience, are a winning combination.'

The Saturn vehicles making their world debut in New York include:

The Saturn Aura, which goes on sale this summer, brings the new design of Saturn into a fun-to-drive sport sedan, with bold exterior styling and high levels of interior refinement.

The Saturn Sky Red Line, arriving at Saturn retailers this fall, adds extra power and performance to Saturn's new signature roadster with a 260-horsepower 2.0L direct-injection turbo.

The Saturn Outlook is an eight-passenger crossover vehicle that strikes an ideal balance of style, size and capability. Outlook, which goes into production later this year, is built on GM's new crossover vehicle platform.

A Saturn concept vehicle that will provide an indication of how the brand's new design cues will continue on future vehicles.

In addition to the bold new Saturn production vehicles and concept, Saab will showcase its aviation heritage and Scandinavian design philosophy in the Saab Aero X concept, which makes its North American debut in New York. Saabs were first introduced in New York to the U.S. market 50 years ago. AutoWeek magazine named the Aero X concept 'Best in Show' in February at the 2006 Geneva Auto Show.

by Saturn

Saturn continues its product revitalization with the 2007 Sky Red Line performance roadster, which is debuting at the 2006 New York International Auto Show. The Red Line, available at Saturn retailers this fall, builds on the Sky's established performance character, offering even more power and sportier driving dynamics combined with a bold design and driver-focused interior.

The Red Line gets a boost in performance from an Ecotec turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, GM's first direct injection offering in North America. It produces 260 horsepower* (194 kw) at 5300 rpm and 260 lb.-ft. of torque* (353 Nm) at 2500 rpm, making it GM's highest specific output engine ever at 2.1 horsepower per cubic inch of displacement (130 hp / 97 kw per liter) and the most powerful engine in the Ecotec family.

Gasoline direct injection technology helps the Ecotec engine produce more power while maintaining the lower fuel consumption of a small displacement port-injected engine.

With direct injection, fuel is delivered directly to the combustion chamber to create a more complete burn of the air/fuel mixture. Less fuel is required to produce the equivalent horsepower, especially at normal cruising speeds, of a conventional port-injection combustion system.

Direct injection technology works well with turbocharging and helps deliver a great balance of power and economy.

Other Red Line technical highlights include:

- Standard torque-sensing limited-slip differential

- Standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control

- Performance-tuned suspension

Technical elements also standard on the 2007 Sky roadster include:

- Four-wheel independent short/long arm suspension for optimal handling and stability

- Coil-over Bilstein monotube shocks for excellent wheel control and road isolation

- Hydraulically assisted rack-and-pinion power steering for quick, responsive vehicle control

- Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS for excellent stopping performance

- Wide track for excellent stability and superior handling

- Near 50/50 weight distribution for balanced handling

Structural tunnel design and hydroformed longitudinal frame rails for a stiff body that results in greater vehicle responsiveness and better overall feel

The Red Line also features several unique interior and exterior differences compared to the Sky roadster, including dual exhaust with chrome polished outlets, 18-inch polished aluminum alloy wheels, and specific front lower fascia with large brake cooling vents and black headlamp bezels.

The interior features a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, unique seatback and floormat embroidery, metallic sill plates, stainless steel pedal covers, Red Line-specific gauges and a digital boost gauge included in the Driver Information Center.

The Sky Red Line has numerous safety features, including dual-stage frontal air bags, GM's Passenger Sensing System, four-wheel disc brakes with standard ABS, side-impact door beams, three-point safety belts with pretentioners and load-limiting retractors, and more.

by Saturn

With its dynamic design and quick and agile performance, the Sky roadster delivers a bold message about the next generation of vehicles from Saturn.

The Sky, introduced at the North American International Auto Show and slated for production in 2006, is the first vehicle to feature a new look that will influence Saturn's entire future product lineup. The roadster will be followed by a new midsize sedan and a large crossover SUV as Saturn's product portfolio doubles during the next 24 months.

'Building on its accomplishments in customer sales and service satisfaction, Saturn is introducing a bold new product design to our vehicles,' said Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak. 'For Saturn, the Sky is not the limit. It's only the beginning.'

Starting price for the Sky is expected to be less than $25,000. It will be built at GM's Wilmington , Del. , assembly facility.

Technical harmony

The Sky roadster was inspired by the Vauxhall VX Lightning Concept – created at GM's Advanced Design Studio in Birmingham , England – signaling the adoption of an international design language for Saturn.

'The Sky's exterior conveys a sense of technical harmony, combining taut, controlled lines with fluid surfaces to create a dynamic feeling,' said Ed Welburn, vice president of Design for GM North America . 'The vehicle's strong front end is the new face of Saturn, with a pronounced fender peak and a bold, chrome bar that carries an integrated Saturn badge.'

The Sky's design also features a wide stance with short overhangs and 18-inch wheels pushed to the corners. The convertible top folds completely into the rear compartment and the clamshell hood provides excellent accessibility and reinforces the sports car aura. Projector halogen low beams and reflector optic halogen high beam headlamps extend the exterior's sophisticated look.

The design philosophy is carried through to the interior, which is driver-focused with integrated controls and displays. Creative use of piano black and chrome finishes combine with available leather seats and technical grains to emphasize richness and precision. Jewel-like detailing on the HVAC and lighting controls is executed with tight fits, highlighting the attention to detail.

Roadster performance

The Sky also has the hardware to back up its bold styling. It is equipped with a 2.4L, 170-horsepower Ecotec engine with variable valve timing and a five-speed Aisin manual transmission with a short throw shifter. A five-speed automatic will be optional.

'The Sky's performance matches its impressive styling,' said Lori Queen, vehicle line executive for GM's small cars. 'Powertrain, suspension and handling components were carefully selected to provide quick and agile performance.'

Other technical highlights include: Four-wheel independent short/long arm suspension for optimal handling and stability

- Coil-over Bilstein monotube shocks for excellent wheel control and road isolation

- Hydraulically assisted rack- and-pinion power steering for quick, responsive vehicle control

- Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS for excellent stopping performance

- Wide track width for excellent stability and superior handling

- Near 50/50 weight distribution for balanced handling feel

Structural tunnel design and hydroformed longitudinal rails for a stiff body that results in greater vehicle responsiveness and better overall feel

Hydraulic engine mounts for a smoother engine feel

OnStar

With 3 million subscribers, OnStar is the nation's leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information services using the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite network and wireless technologies. The 2006 Sky will offer OnStar. Sky owners can interact with OnStar's voice recognition system in Spanish, French or English. With the push of a button an OnStar advisor can change the system to allow the subscriber to interact with the system in their preferred language. Other core OnStar services are stolen vehicle location assistance, remote door unlock, roadside assistance, emergency services and automatic crash notification.

GM is the only automotive manufacturer committed to offering a full range of vehicles with safety protection before, during and after a collision. All OnStar-equipped vehicles come with Automatic Crash Notification. If air bags deploy, the system sends a signal to a highly trained OnStar Emergency Advisor, who contacts the vehicle to see if help is needed, and can contact an emergency responder to send for help. In many cases the occupants are severely injured and cannot speak for themselves. OnStar's GPS unit allows Advisors to tell emergency responders the vehicle's location. OnStar responds to at least one air bag deployment in the US or Canada every hour.

Additionally, the Sky will offer the GM-exclusive Advanced Automatic Crash Notification system. The AACN system detects collisions, even rollovers, regardless of whether air bags deploy. AACN also transmits other crash data, such as the direction of impact force, the number of and which air bags deployed and the maximum change of impact velocity, so that emergency responders are more prepared with this critical information before they arrive at the accident scene.

Saturn lineup

The expansion of the Saturn product lineup began this year with the introduction of the Relay family utility vehicle. The Relay combines SUV-like exterior styling, a rich interior and the functionality of a mid-van.

The Saturn Ion is significantly refined for 2005, with the sedan receiving improved interior and exterior appearances and more responsive and refined performance. The Vue's clean styling, numerous safety features and vast array of accessory choices continue to make it a popular choice among customers with active lifestyles. Saturn's 2005 lineup also includes two performance variants, the 205-horsepower Ion Red Line and the 250-horsepower, performance-tuned Vue Red Line.

by Saturn

'For Saturn, the Sky is not the limit. It's only the beginning' according to Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak. The 2-seat convertible Sky indeed was a bold new product for Saturn that would share the message regarding the new generation of vehicles about to be delivered from Saturn. It featured a dynamic design with nimble performance. The only roadster produced by the Saturn marque, the Sky was introduced during the first part of 2006 as a 2007 model. The sky uses the Kappa automobile platform that was shared with the Pontiac Solstice and the Opel GT and boasted classic Roadster styling. The Sky concept originally debuted at the 2005 North American International Auto and the production version followed closely at the 2006 show. The Sky was built at GM's Wilmington, Delaware plant alongside the Solstice and the Opel GT.

The Saturn Sky was designed by Franz von Holzhausen and was inspired by the design of the Vauxhall VX Lightning Concept. The Sky was created at GM's Advanced Design Studio in Birmingham, England, which signaled the adoption of an international design language for the marque. It featured more than ample interior space, fun and sporty top-down driving fun and a smooth ride. According to Ed Welburn, the vice president of Design for GM North America, the Sky's 'strong front end' was the 'new face of Saturn, with a pronounced fender peak and a bold, chrome bar that carries an integrated Saturn badge.' The convertible top neatly folds completely into the rear compartment while the clamshell hood reinforces the sports car persona. The outside of the car showcases a sophisticated visage with projector halogen low beams and reflector optic halogen high beam headlamps.

It was available in various European markets as the Opel GT. It featured 18-inch wheels and a 2.4 L Ecotec LE5 straight-4 engine that produced 177 hp, a new straight-4 2.0 L turbocharged direct injected engine that produced 260 hp. A dealer-installed turbo upgrade kit on the Sky produced 290 hp. Five-speed manual and automatic transmissions were both available. Luxury features of the Sky included keyless entry, power accessories and cruise control, all with an affordable price tag.

In 2006 a rebadged version named the Daewoo G2X was unveiled as a concept car destined for the South Korean market. In September of 2007 the production version was released. Until 2008 the Sky, the Solstice, the GT and the G2X were built in Delaware. The exterior styling of the Sky was highly praised by enthusiasts as a welcome departure from the old Saturn styling. On the inside of the Sky though was a tight, small interior that was incredibly driver-focused with unified controls and displays. Original piano black and chrome finishes completed the interior with available leather seats and technical grains that further emphasized the meticulous care that went into the design. The HVAC and lighting controls featured jewel-like detailing.

In April of 2006 a Red Line model of the Saturn Sky was introduced at the New York Auto Show. The Red Line used the same standard 5-speed Aisin manual transmission with an automatic transmission optional. The model used the same 260 hp turbocharged Ecotec engine as the Solstice GXP and Opel GT. It featured standard StabiliTrak stability control, a standard torque-sensing limited-slip differential and an enhanced sport suspension that the standard Sky didn't have.

On the outside the Red Line came with dual exhausts, a specific front fascia made exclusively for the Red Line and 18-inch wheels. The interior of the Red Line came with special embroidery on the seats and floor mats, a unique leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, metallic doorsill covers, stainless steel pedals, special tachometer and gauges and a digital boost gauge in the Driver Information Center. During the fall of 2006 the Red Line model began shipping at a starting price of $29,795.

For 2007 a total of 16,576 Saturn Sky models were produced. For 2008 the numbers dropped slightly to 13,662, before dropping substantially in 2009 to 4,178. In 2010 only models were produced, making the total production number 34,415 for the Saturn Sky.

For 2009 the Sky sports car featured Bluetooth through OnStar. An updated special-edition trim was introduced that featured Hydro Blue and Ruby Red paint colors and 18-inch split-spoke wheels. The base model came with 2.4L four-cylinder engine that produced 173 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque. The improved Sky Red Line featured a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produced 260 hp and 260 lb/ft of torque. The base Sky model could hit 0-60 mph in just 7.5 seconds, while the Red Line did it in 5.8 seconds. Standard safety equipment includes antilock disc brakes, passenger-sensing airbag operation and stability control. Buyers could add OnStar turn-by-turn navigation as an option on both the base and Red Line trims.

An entirely modified Sky model built by Autosport Dynamics competes in the Formula D drifting series. The racing model is sponsored by Faulken Tires and produces 800 hp and features an impressive aluminum turbocharged V8 with a displacement of 6.7 liters.

In July of 2009 the Wilmington Assembly plant was closed which ended production as both the Saturn and Pontiac nameplates were retired.

Soures:

http://www.nadaguides.com/cars/2007/Saturn/Sky

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_Sky

by Jessican Donaldson